Reviews, Views and Adventures in Content Creation

Sunday, June 16, 2013

I've just passed the halfway point in what I've been calling my "official launch month" for "My Life at the Bottom of the Food Chain," marking the full availability of my book in both e-book and paperback. Since the e-book began appearing in various ebook stores (Kindle, Apple iBooks, Nook and much more of which I hadn't been aware), it took two full months for the "full" rollout. Until the paperback began to become available in mid-May, I didn't want to start the process of promoting the book. Despite the digital world we live in, a book that actually appears as a paperback - even a self-published one - is still perceived as a more substantial effort. With the book in hand, I was able to start promoting the book in earnest. I ordered a supply of promotional copies, and began distributing copies to friends and some family.

While a couple of Amazon.com reviews appeared early from ebook readers, the promotional copies are generating reviews of their own. As of this writing, I have five 5-Star reviews on Amazon.com, and two 5-Star Reviews on Goodreads. Aside from my own videos, three videos have shown up on YouTube - two reviews and a follow-up (which included a reading). These initial review reflect those across the United States (and one in the UK) who know me or have received promotional copies for one reason or another. Nevertheless, these readers created well-written, insightful reviews that are helping to generate interest in the book (check out some great quotes from reviews at http://richsamuelsauthor.com)

My book at Pismo Beach

I began "official launch month" as a guest on my friend Mike Lidskin's Sacramento-based internet radio program, The Twirl, at TwirlRadio.com [Here's a YouTube Excerpt] While appearing on a program about rock music might seem unusual, I like to say that it gave my book a bit of a "cool vibe." Mike interviewed me on the program, I did a reading of a couple of pages from the book, and gave away a couple of copies to Twirl listeners. it was great fun.

I also began a giveaway through Goodreads.com, a social site to readers and writers alike. At the end of June, Goodreads will send me a list of ten randomly selected readers out of the hundreds who will have entered the giveaway by then (about 250 have entered so far). In the process of conducting the giveaway, hundreds - even thousands - have become newly aware of the book. Some of these potential readers will eventually post reviews and so help spread the word about the book even more.

Social media efforts began right away. Some readers have sent photos of themselves with the book, and I've some photos of my book in making random appearances around California (spurring even more photos from readers). Naturally, the book will also travel with me to London on an upcoming trip.

This is just the beginning. I'm learning and taking advice from friends and associates who share my belief in the book's potential - I'll share some of those insights soon.